Mission

The competition has been running for 7 years with over 120 schools taking part. No entry fees are charged and the competition is funded by the Foundation. This includes the travel and accommodation costs to the US. We are dependent on the generosity of sponsors and volunteers. The number of entries is currently limited and our aim is to attract more sponsorship to enable us to increase the number of participants who can attend and to run more educational competitions to help promote careers in science, engineering and space sciences in schools. We are proud that many past competitors are following successful careers in science and engineering and some have returned to us as volunteers.Our mission is to secure funding for the future to enable our work to expand and make the competition accessible to more schools.

Category

Education and Skills

Additional Information

The Space Science and Engineering Foundation (SSEF) organises and manages annual UK wide Space Design Competitions for students 11-14 and 15-18 years old. The winners of the regional competitions take part in the UK finals in March of every year at Imperial College London. Twelve finalists from the senior competition are selected to take part in the International Finals at NASA Kennedy Space Center in the US. The UK Space Design Competition (UKSDC) is an industrial competition whereby students form a company that they run through their own management and engineering team. The 'Foundation Society' based 60 years in the future in the future requests a design proposl with specific parameters for a settlement in space or on a planetary body. The challenge is created as a simulation of of life in industry. The students are supported by industry professionals and present their designs to a panel of expert judges and representatives of the UK Space Agency.